Closure for jars and the like



April 2, 1940- G. J. OVERMYER 2,195,422

:cLosum': FOR mas AND THE LIKE Filed July 9, 1934 Zaiye :7. 0097 7141, e71 nnrntur Patented Apr. 1 4 t STATES NTS":bores 1 p 2,195,422 l V I CLOSURE Fo'R JARS i 7 George J. overmyer, Hartford City, Indtl Application July 9, 1934; Serial No. 734,371

' "13'Glaims (o1. 215-95) This invention relates to closures-for jars and similar containers, one of the objects being to provide means whereby the container can be more readily sealed and unsealed than where the ordinary sealing. means are employed. It is especially adapted for use inconnection with jars of the screwthre'ad type although .it is to beunderstood that it can be employed with those types, of con tainers wherein threads are not utilized. 1

It is well known to those skilled in the art that jars such as those having screwthreads for engagement by their closures are very difficult to v unseal after the closures have been tightened sufliciently to afford aperfect, air-tight seal. vFew 15 women have the strength to unscrew the lids and frequently wrenches are unsatisfactory. In a r a cent publication of wide-spread circulation it has been stated that a studynof the tightness of eaps on 500'difierent jars and'bot'tles of food products revealed that 96 of them could not be unscrewed by the hand of the average'housewife and of the Y 96 it was necessaryto use a wrench to remove closures from 56 containers. The remaining 40 closures defied all efforts to remove them.

Obviously it is extremelydesirable that a closurefor a'jar not only afiord an efiicient sealbut A also'be capable of convenient removal without necessitating the exertion of excessive forcejfor the employment'of a special wrench or the like. 9 The presentinvention hasfor an objectthe provision of a simple form of sealing means which can be tightened readily and which can vbe re'-- moved with ease by the "ordinary housewife so as togive readyaccess to the contents of the con- 18 is placed thereon.

tainer. It is a further-object to-provide a sealing means applicable to jars or other containers using screwthreads for engagement by their closures and also to containers which do not require the use of threaded portions. p With the foregoing and other objects'in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the'invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointedoutin the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

' forms of the invention have been shown.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a section "through the mouth per-j In the accompanying drawin'g'the preferred:

erence, A designates a container which can be in the form of a jar orthe like and. which,-in Figure 1, is shown provided with a screwthr-eaded; neck portionB. i

The present invention includes a ring "I- which is screwthreaded so as to properly engage the view showing a modifica;

threaded portion of the container A; This ring has an inwardly-extended annular flange 2 de-. signed to overlie the end of the container and also the closure per'se. This-closure, which has been shown at ii'in Figure 1, has an annular portion 4 insertable into the neck of the container while the marginal portion 50f the-closure is adapted to extend between the wall of the neck and the flange 2', p l b A sealing gasket 6 ofsoftcompressible material such as rubber is adapted to beinterposed between the end of the neck portion, and. the mar-- ginal'portion of the closure .zl. This sealing gasket can'be separable from the closure or it can be joined thereto with a suitable adhesive indicated generally at l. p v

A compression member 8 is adapted to be placed upon the marginal portion 5 of the closure 3 where it will be lapped by the flange 2 and the inner edge'portion of this member Bcan be held elevated by projections orribs 9 formed on the closure inwardly from the flange -2. Inlpracti'ce the container A'is filled in'the usual manner after whichtheclosure 3' with its gasket 5 and'member ,Ring' is. then applied 'to the neck portion B and screwed tightly into position so that its flange 2 will compress member 8 and transmit thrust therethrough tothemar- I ginal portion ofclosure 3 which, in turn, will compress the gasket 6 to seal the joint between" the neck B and'the closure 3.

I When it is desired to open the container it is not necessary toun'screw the ring I first Instead the user presses downwardly on the closure 3 so "as to further compress the gasket This will release pressure from member 8 to-such an extent that the raised inner edge portionthereof can be grasped readily and saidmember pulled from under the flange 2.- Thus the closure 3 is loosened and as the ring 'I is freed from pressure it can be easily,,rotated to permit complete re-,

moval of the closure 'If preferred, and as "shown in Figure 2, the

gasket Ill resting on the, neck C of container D can be ofgre'ater diameter than the l sure ll .eral portions while the margin of the closure II will be imbedded tightly in gasket I0 when ring I2 is tightened. When the parts are assembled as shown in Figure 2 the inner edge of the compression-member I4 will be .extended upwardly away from the closure so that it can be grasped readily. Thereafter when it is desired to open the container this member I4 will be partly released when closure II is pressed downwardly against gasket I 0. Consequently the compression member I4 can be pulled readily'out of position from under the inturned portion or flange I3 so as to release the parts for convenient removal.

place. E has a neck portion F which provides an interior annular shoulder G and an overlying inclined Since the inturned marginal portion I3 of the ring I2 is slightly larger than the diameter of the closure I I, the closure can be grasped and lifted out through the ring without unscrewing the ring when the contents of the container have been of such a nature that the closure has not become stuck "fast. passed through the ring, replaced on the sealing gasket, the ring is unscrewed apartial turn, the compression member I4 is laid on the edge of the closure under the'inturned portion of the ring and the ring then screwed down tightly.

In Figure 3 there has been shown a modified construction wherein it is not necessary to employ a ring or the like for holding the closure in In this modified structure the container annular flange H. A gasket I5 of rubber or other suitable compressible material is seated on the shoulder G and the closure Ifiis of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the opening defined by flange H. I

' After the container has been filled the closure It is inserted into the neck so 1 that its margin will rest upon gasket I5. The closure is then pressed downwardly to place gasket I5 under compression and while it is thus held a supplemental or compression member I1 of rubber or other suitable material istucked into the annular space above the margin of closure IB'and under the flange H so as to extend continuously between these parts. When the closure is then released it will be elevated slightly by the compressed -gasketQl5 and will, in turn, placemember I! under compression, thereby affording a double seal for the container.

When it is desired to open the container E the closure I6 is forced downwardly to compress gasket I 5. Thus pressure onfmember I1 is reduced and said'member can be withdrawn readily fromunder flange H, thereby allowing the closure I6 to be easily removed.

\ Obviously various other modifications of the structures illustrated can be used within the scope of the appended claims. What is claimed is;

1. The combination'with a container and a lid, of two similar sealinggaskets one of which is positioned between the lid and' container and the otherpositioned directly on top of the lid, a flange connected to and defining an opening above the container and bearing on the gasket atop the lid and normally holding thegaskets and lid therebetween compressed (towards the container, said upper. gasketbeing ,sufficientlyexposed'at all times to aifo'rda gripping portion To reseal, the closure is I said secondary sealing complete withdrawal from under said overlapping ing at its margin-uponthe gasket, a removable compression member between the flange and the marginal portion of the closure, said closure,

container and flange cooperating to hold both the gasket and the compression member under compression and said closure being shiftable toward the container to increase the compression of the, sealing gasket and reduce the pressure upon the compression member, and means on the closure for holding the inner edge of the compression member in an elevated position relative to the closure and flange.

3. The combination with a container and a clamping ring detachably secured thereto and having an inwardly extended flange, of a primary sealing gasket and a secondary'sealing compression gasket interposed between the container and flange and contacting with each other, a closure insertable past the flange within the ring and. having its marginal portion extended be tween the primary gasket and secondary gasket and cooperating with the container and flange for holding both the primary gasket and the I secondary gasket under compression, said closure constituting means for placing the primary gasket under increased compression thereby to' reduce the pressure upon the secondary sealing compression gasket.

4. The combination with a container having a neck portion provided with a shoulder and an overlying flange, of a gasket supported on the shoulder, a closure insertable into the neck portion and into engagement with the gasket, said closure constituting means for compressing the engaged gasket when subjected to external pressure to provide a temporary clearance between the closure and the flange, and a secondary sealing compression gasket having a conveniently accessible. gripping edge insertable into. said clearance and adapted to be compressed between the flange and closure when the closure is relieved from external pressure.

5. The combination'witha container having a neck portion, a primary sealing member carried by the neck portion, a closure member having its marginal edge resting upon. the primarysealing member, an attaching member threadedly ;en-

an opening thereabove, and a s'econdary se aling I member interposed between the marginal edge of the cover and the overlying flange, said sec;- ondary sealing member havinga gripping por tion exposed through said opening wherewith member is gripped for flange and through said opening when the attaching member is to'be removed.

6. The combination witha container having a threaded neck portion, a sealing gasket carried by the neck portion, a closure bearing upon the sealing gasket,,a threaded clamping ring having an annular flange overlying the marginal edge of the closure member and defining a central Ci. openmg above said closure member, and a-com- I5..

pression member normally clamped by the-flange against said closure member in uniformly spaced relation around the peripheries thereof to transmit thrust from the flange evenly around the margin of the closure and therethrough to the sealing gasket, the compression member being exposed through said opening and adapted to be completely detached from the assembly while under compression by Withdrawal thereof from under the flange and throughsaid opening to expose a space extending continuously between the flange and the marginal edge of the closure member for facilitating ready removal of the clamping ring from the neck of the container.

7. The combination with a container having a neck portion, a sealing gasket carried by the neck portion, a closure bearing upon the. sealing gas is freely movable independently of movement of said sealing memberwhen theflange is moved to normally clamping relation with said closure member and sealing gasket to transmit thrust from the flange evenly around the margin of the closure member and sealing gasket, the compression member being adapted to be completely detached from the assembly while under com pression and be withdrawn from under the flange through said opening.

8. The combination with a container having a neck portion of an attachable annular flange overlying said neck portion and defining an opening above the container, a sealing gasket carried by the neck portion, a closure member bearing upon the sealing gasket, and an unattached elastic compression member interposed between the annular flange and the closure member and capable of ready distortion whereby said compression member is freely distortable for com plete removal through said opening while under compression of said flange without impairment to itself and flange and capable of returning to its original size and shape.

9. The combination with a container and a clamping ring detachably secured thereto and having an inwardly extending flange of a gasket supported on the container and beneath the.

flange, a closure insertible past the flange into the ring and onto the gasket, said closure constituting means for compressing the engaged gasket when subjected to-external pressure to provide a temporary clearance between the closure and the flange, and a combination removable compression and'sealing gasket insertible into said clearance and adapted to be compressed between the flange and said closure when the closure is relieved from external pressure, said flanged clamping ring being movable towards the container to compress the compression gasket and closure and gasket into sealing relation with the g5 container.

'a threaded neck portion of a threaded clamping ring having an annular flange overlying said neck portion and defining a relatively large opening,

a sealing gasket carried by the neck portion, a

closure below the flange and bearing upon the gasket, and'a compression member accessible at all times through and exposed within the opening and normally clamped and holding the closure and fiange'and uniformly spacing the fiange from the closure to transmit uniform thrust around the periphery of the closure and through the closure to the sealing gasket, said compression member being adapted for complete detachment from the assembly by removal through the. opening and thereby dispelling all compressing friction between the sealing closure and the flange to facilitate unscrewing the clamping ring.

11. In combination with a container having a threaded neck portion, a sealing gasket carried by said neck portion, a closure member bearing upon the sealing gasket, a threaded clamping ring rotatably engaging the threaded neck portion 'of I the container and having an annular flange overlying the closure member, and a compression member interposed and constantly accessible between the annular flange and the closure member and having a smooth surface in contact with the flange whereon the flange is freely movable independently of movement of said compression member whenthe clamping ring is threaded on said neck portion to effect sealing of the container.

12. The combination with a container having i a neck portion, of an attachable annular flange? overlying said neck portion and defining an opening thereabove and adapted for movement towards the container for sealablycompressing sealing members to the container, a sealing gasket carried by the neckp'ortion, a closure bearing upon the gasket, a decompression member insertible between the closure and the flange and accessible for gripping at all times Within the flange opening, said decompression member beingnormally compressed between the flange and closure other positioned directly on top of the lid, a flange,

detachably connected to and defining an opening above the container and bearing on the gasket atop the lid and normally holding the gaskets and lid 'therebetween compressed towards the container, saidupper gasket being sufliciently exposed at all times to afford a gripping portion and being adapted to be detached from the combination by being withdrawn out from under the flange and removed through the opening while,

under compression.

GEORGE J. OVERMYER. 

